I brought Draco to the hospital wing, floating upon a stretcher. Panting, I arrived at the door of the hospital wing and hammered on the door.

"Severus!" gasped Poppy, catching sight of me and Draco. "What happened?"

"I’ll tell you later, just help us," I gasped.

"You reek of smoke, was it a fire?" she inquired as she levitated Draco onto one of the many empty beds.

I nodded wearily, sinking into an armchair. I told Poppy what had happened as she dabbed a thick paste on his burns and mended his leg. The tale left her horrified and looking down on the boy with sympathy before continuing her work.

Ungg …" Draco moaned, opening his eyes once again.

"Oh good, you’re awake," Poppy said, now pouring out a few potions. "You’ve had quite a shock dear,"

Draco just looked up blankly as she told him to take the potions. He complied, but still looked as if he was off in another space. Poppy left briefly so that I could help him put on some pyjamas and crawl into bed; he was quite weak still.

"Draco, what happened," I whispered to him as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"I don’t wanna say," he whispered, turning his face away from me.

"How did you get that cut on your face. It had to be dark magic to scar," I said, indicating the thin white line across his cheek.

"It's nothing. Just let me sleep."

"That won’t solve anything," I said, taking his hand.

"I know. But I don’t want to think right now," he whispered, tears flowing down his face, which he brushed off angrily.

"It’s not a sin to cry, Draco," I told him softly.

"It’s weak, at least that’s what fath-" he said, stalling and eyes widening as the events came flooding back. He looked down, face screwed up.

"Did he do this Draco?" I asked, indicating the scar on his face.

He nodded.

"And the fire?" I whispered.

"Mother. She got mad at him for giving away You Know Who’s stupid book." Draco began. The dam was breaking. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"They were duelling. I tried to stop them, but Father gave me this," he indicated the scar "he told me to get out of the way. They were duelling to kill Severus, I tried to stop them but t-the bookcase got knocked over and … and …" he began to sob.

"Shh, it will be alright. I’m here," I said gently, pulling the distressed boy into my arms.

"He killed her. He killed her!" Draco sobbed. "He killed mother! Just like that!"

I held him as he sobbed onto my shoulder, rubbing his back as he let it all out. Draco may not have gotten along with Lucius, but at least was on good terms with his mother. She was sick though, she’d always been. Just like Bellatrix, but in a quieter way. I had always thought it was her that drove Lucius to get in with Voldemort. But it did not matter now.

"It’s going to be alright," I told Draco once more as Poppy came over with a dreamless sleep potion.

He downed it quickly, leaning into my embrace, whimpering before falling silent in my arms. Asleep at last.

I sat with him for a few minutes, watching him sleep, wondering how I would get him through this, when I had not been able to escape my own demons. I shook my head to clear all thoughts, tucking him in before making my way to the door. I glanced back at him briefly, guilt washing over me as I replayed the evening we had all shared together. If only I had had him stay the night. At least he could have been spared the trauma of being there when it happened.

Speaking of staying the night …

"Where do you think you are going?" Poppy said sternly, shattering my thoughts as she put herself between me and the door and pointed to a bed next to Draco’s.

"No way woman! I am not staying the night!" I growled, looking for a way out. I despised hospitals and anything to do with them. Visiting them was bad enough!

"Must you be so childish? You’ve had a nasty shock and need rest! Come here," she said, lunging at me and dragging me over to the bed by the sleeve of my singed dressing gown; over the years she had learned to take a rather offensive approach with me.

"I am not childish, I have a perfectly good reason for avoiding hospitals!" I defended myself, struggling to escape her grasp.

"You are staying and that is final."

"But can’t I just go back to my place and take a dreamless sleep?" I pleaded, trying to conceal the fear as memories crashed down on me.

"Mum?" said a boy of thirteen, his black hair falling like a curtain about his worried face.

"Oh Sev …" a sallow faced woman said weakly from a hospital bed, taking her son’s hand and cradling it in hers.

She was silent.

"Mum! You’re going to fine; I’ll make sure you will be. I’ll leave school to look after you … Please …" the boy pleaded.

"I wish it were that easy," she sighed, sad black eyes meeting with Sev’s.

"You’re coming home soon though, right? Right?" he asked quietly.

"Severus, I’m dying."

"But …" Sev whispered.

"It’s the truth. I’m sorry hon," said the mother, tears leaking down her pale, waxy face.

"It there’s a spell I’ll learn it, a potion I’ll make it! There’s got to be a potion, I could invent one-" said Severus frantically, beginning to break down as he desperately fought tears.

"Severus, there’s nothing you can do. There isn’t a way. There isn’t time," she said. "I’m sorry."

"Mum …" the boy sobbed heartbrokenly as she took him into her arms.

Together they lay on the hospital bed, cherishing their last hours together.

"Severus, don’t be ridiculous, you are staying, I need to make sure you are alright," Poppy said, leading me over to the bed, sitting me down and handing me some new pyjamas.

I followed blindly, unable to see anything but the white sheet being placed upon her, the flowers by her bedside shining brightly on a day that had no sun.

That was almost twenty-two years ago.

For Draco it had been less than an hour.